"There's a fight going on!"
Renjiro's eyes sharpened as he spotted the black smoke billowing in the distance. Without hesitation, he clenched his fist.
"Beedrill, let's move! Nidoqueen might be in danger!"
Without waiting for a response, Renjiro sprinted toward the source of the smoke, Beedrill buzzing fiercely at his side.
---
At the heart of the commotion, inside what was once a grand warehouse but now stood as a crumbling ruin, two men huddled near a large iron cage. Inside the cage, battered and bruised, lay Nidoqueen. Her body was covered in scrapes and gashes, her breathing heavy, but defiance still burned in her eyes.
One of the men—a wiry figure with a bright red cockscomb hairstyle—sneered and wiped sweat from his brow.
"Boss, we've got her locked up tight. That Nidoqueen's not going anywhere."
The man he addressed was burly, bald, with a long scar running across his face. His eyes were cold, greedy.
"Heh. Good. That Nidoking isn't here to protect her anymore. Easy money," the bald man growled, glancing toward the building's ruined entrance.
These men weren't simple poachers. They were part of an infamous Pokémon hunter ring, known across regions for capturing and selling rare Pokémon to the black market.
Weeks ago, they had stumbled upon this area and discovered the Nidoking-Nidoqueen pair living in seclusion. Wild, fully evolved Pokémon like these were valuable beyond belief—especially if captured together as a breeding pair.
"Once we secure both of them, we'll be set for life," the boss muttered, eyes glinting with greed.
---
Renjiro skidded to a halt outside the structure, peering through a shattered window. His sharp gaze took in the scene at once: four Pokémon hunters armed with high-tech gear, Nidoqueen in a reinforced iron cage, and the wreckage of the capture devices that must have caused the explosion he heard earlier.
"So that's it… Pokémon hunters."
Renjiro clenched his fists. The scene disgusted him.
He quickly counted—four hunters, each equipped with advanced capture technology, and each no doubt possessing powerful Pokémon of their own.
At that moment, the Poké Ball on Renjiro's belt trembled violently. A burst of red light shot out.
"Nidoking!"
The massive beast emerged, roaring with fury as his eyes locked onto Nidoqueen. Seeing his mate battered and caged drove Nidoking into a rage.
"AND!!!"
Without waiting for Renjiro's command, Nidoking charged forward, mouth opening as energy gathered at his jaws.
"Nidoking, wait—!"
But it was too late. A brilliant Hyper Beam erupted from Nidoking's mouth, aimed straight at the hunters.
The Pokémon hunters spun around, alarmed.
"Shit! It's Nidoking! Get ready!"
"Don't let him blast us!"
"Duck-billed Charmeleon, Flame Burst!"
"Krookodile, Mud Shot!"
"Honchkrow, Shadow Ball!"
"Mengornaya, Pin Missile!"
Their Pokémon launched attacks in unison, meeting Nidoking's Hyper Beam mid-air.
"BOOM!"
A deafening explosion shook the building as the attacks collided. Dust and smoke enveloped the battlefield, a towering mushroom cloud rising in its wake.
Nidoking collapsed, spent. Between his earlier injuries and the Hyper Beam's recoil, he could barely lift his head. But his eyes remained fixed on Nidoqueen.
"Nidoking…"
Renjiro rushed forward, Evergreen power flowing from his hand as he placed it on Nidoking's back. Slowly, the healing energy eased Nidoking's pain, restoring his strength bit by bit.
"Huh?" Nidoking growled softly, glancing back at Renjiro. Why was this human helping him? Was he not with those hunters?
"Don't worry. I'm not like them," Renjiro said firmly.
But the hunters weren't done.
"Nidoking should be immobilized after that Hyper Beam! As soon as the smoke clears—hit him hard!"
Their voices carried through the haze.
Renjiro narrowed his eyes. "No time to waste."
He recalled Nidoking into the Poké Ball for safety. The healing he'd provided wasn't enough to prepare Nidoking for another battle.
"Beedrill—this is our fight now."
The smoke began to clear.
"Where's Nidoking?!" the bald boss demanded, eyes scanning the area.
"Boss, look!"
His subordinate pointed.
Emerging from the thinning smoke stood Renjiro, his gaze unwavering. At his side, Mega Beedrill hovered, its twin stingers gleaming ominously.
The hunters gaped at the sight.
"What the hell is that Beedrill?!"
The bald boss licked his lips. Greed overtook his surprise.
"That Beedrill… I've never seen one like it. Looks mutated—must be worth a fortune! Maybe more than Nidoking and Nidoqueen combined!"
He stepped forward, sneering.
"Boy, that Nidoking you captured—it was ours. So how about this? Give us your Beedrill to make amends. Fair trade."
Renjiro's expression turned to one of feigned innocence.
"Oh… You mean this?" He held up Nidoking's Poké Ball.
"That's right. You caught our prey. Now hand over that Beedrill, and we'll let you walk away in one piece," the boss threatened.
Renjiro blinked, as if processing their words.
"I see… I just found a Nidoking lying on the ground, so I caught it without thinking. I didn't know it was 'yours.'"
The boss smirked.
"Then it's settled. Trade your Beedrill, and we're even."
For a moment, Renjiro appeared to hesitate.
His eyes lowered, his voice quiet.
"Hmm… One Nidoking for one Beedrill, huh…"
Then, his gaze snapped up, sharp as a blade.
"But if you think you're strong enough to take my Beedrill—come try!"
His sudden shift in demeanor stunned the hunters.
"You cocky brat!" one of them spat.
"Don't underestimate us!"
"Duck-billed Charmeleon, Krookodile, Honchkrow, Mengornaya—ATTACK!"
Their Pokémon leapt forward, surrounding Renjiro and Beedrill.
Renjiro's lips curved into a confident smirk.
"These Pokémon… their levels aren't even close to what we've faced before, Beedrill. Let's show them why they should fear us!"
Beedrill let out a ferocious buzz, twin spears gleaming with deadly intent.
The battle for Nidoqueen—and justice—was about to begin.
---